Paper pallet

Abstract

There is disclosed a paper pallet comprising of a first sheet 10, a second sheet 20 and support means 30, wherein the support means 30 is part of the first sheet 10 and second sheet 20 formed by cutting, creasing, folding and securing tongues 35, 37. The tongue 35 intersects at a 90 degree angle with the tongue 37 and a flange 32 is secured to the slot 34 which forms "slot in" locking means. The strength of the present invention can be further increased by adding a reinforcement core 36 to the inside of the hollow space within the support means 30 or alternatively the reinforcement core 36 may enclose the fastened tongues 35, 37 to form the support means 30. The invention can be varied in dimension, height and numbers of the support means 30.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A pallet comprising: first and second sheets parallel to and spaced apart from one another;   first and second interengagable tongues extending transversely from the first and second sheets and towards the second and first sheets, respectively;   said first and second tongue oriented transversely to one another and having outer edges;   said first and second tongues including first and second slots extending from said outer edges towards the first and second sheets with said first and second slots interengaged so the outer edges of the first and second sheets engage the second and first sheets, respectively;   said first slot including first and second segments, the first segment extending from the outer edge of the first tongue, the second segment spaced apart from a distal end of the first segment, the second segment having a length; and   said second tongue having a flange extending into said second slot, said flange sized and positioned to engage the second segment of the first slot so to secure said first and second tongues and the first and second sheets therewith to one another.   
     
     
       2. A pallet according to claim 1 wherein said interengageable tongues comprise a body and a plurality of fingers separated by said slots. 
     
     
       3. A pallet according to claim 2 wherein said fingers are substantially rectangular. 
     
     
       4. A pallet according to claim 1 wherein said slots have flared open ends. 
     
     
       5. A pallet according to claim 1 wherein said first and second interengagable tongues define a support member, and wherein said support member includes pairs of said interengageable first and second tongues defining an open region between said first and second sheets. 
     
     
       6. A pallet according to claim 5 further comprising a reinforcing member disposed within said open region. 
     
     
       7. A pallet according to claim 1 further comprising a reinforcing member positioned between said first and second sheets. 
     
     
       8. A pallet according to claim 7 wherein the reinforcing member is disposed around and encircles said first and second interengageable tongues. 
     
     
       9. A pallet according to claim 1 wherein the sheets and tongues are made from at least one of the following: corrugated fiberboard and solid paperboard. 
     
     
       10. A pallet according to claim 1 further comprising a water resistant coating on at least said sheets. 
     
     
       11. A pallet according to claim 1 wherein said length of said segment is no greater than the flange engaged therein.